1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a fiber optic tracking system for tracking a substantially rigid object and a method for tracking a substantially rigid object using a fiber optic tracking system.
2. Description of Related Art
It is often necessary to determine or track the position of an object. For example, computer assisted surgical systems have been developed that use robotic devices that are precise and can greatly improve surgical procedures. Proper performance of those devices requires the tracking of positions of objects, such as portions of the human anatomy, surgical instruments, and portions of the robotic device.
There are several conventional surgical navigation technologies that are used to track the positions of objects during surgical procedures. For example, infra red tracking technology has been developed and commercialized by Northern Digital Inc (“NDI”); and electro magnetic (“EM”) tracking has been developed and commercialized by Visualization Technologies Inc. Additional efforts are currently being made towards the development of tracking technologies that utilize radio frequency (“RF”) technology, ultrasonic technology, laser scanning devices, a 3D optical camera with triangulation capabilities, and combinations of some of the above referenced technologies. Disadvantages of such conventional surgical navigation technologies can include the failure to provide seamless integration; high accuracy; high sampling rate; robust tracking capability that is not easily affected by a surgical procedure or by the surgical workflow; and tracking of any combination of, for example, patient anatomy, surgical instruments, the surgical robotic arm, bone cutting instruments, and other objects.
A need exists for an improved surgical navigation technology that address issues such as the disadvantages of conventional surgical technologies noted above, which are listed merely as examples and not as requirements.